Her Prince
by Darkford
Summary: Marinette considers herself strong enough to handle Chloe's daily taunts, but when she shouts down Adrien to continue berating Marinette she finally snaps. - A little plot bunny I followed studying a concept of mine on how Mari views Chat Noir. Ignores a bit of the canon, especially after season 1, so consider it a mild AU/OOC.
1. Chapter 1

It was a day like any other.

Marinette tried to tear her eyes away from Adrien's golden hair and carefree laughter as he talked to Nino, instead focusing on the whiteboard up front. Mme. Bustier had been called away a few minutes ago and left them unchaperoned, however, so there was little chance the rest of the class would be working.

"Ugh!" Chloe threw up her feet and leaned back, stretching out. Throughout the entire time Mme. Bustier had been gone, she'd been occasionally making sounds of disgust, loud enough that the entire class heard. It was actually starting to get on Marinette's nerves; she'd had a long day - a long week, honestly - and she just wanted to get her homework out of the way so she could collapse on her bed when she got home. And she couldn't do that while Chloe was loudly proclaiming her frustration with sitting pretty in one corner of the classroom, doing a whole lot of nothing at all (and not for a lack of options).

She flipped the way her feet were resting and added, "Hmph!" her shoes pushing Sabrina's work off the table. Finally, Marinette had had enough.

"Chloe," She began boldly, immediately dragging the entire class to look at her, "if you're so frustrated with this class, why not head out until Mme. Bustier comes back? I don't mean to be rude, but your grumbling's somewhat distracting."

Several people made noises of assent, but Chloe made a face that said Marinette had given her exactly what she wanted. "Like you can talk, what with you gaping and drooling all over your desk," she called caustically, and Marinette fought not to snap back at the insult. "Is there even anything going on in that head of yours?"

"Quite a bit, actually," Marinette replied, once she'd established her composure. "You don't seem to be thinking at all, however."

She wouldn't have said it on a _completely_ normal day, but she was tired, and frustrated, and her filter seemed to be faltering because she could already see Alya leaning forward to catch Chloe's reaction.

"Me?!" Chloe barked, shoulders tensing. "How dare you, you, you _peasant_! I should have Daddy get you expelled, no mere baker's daughter has any business bullying me and spluttering all over my Adrikins! I'm smarter than you'll ever be!"

Marinette could hear Tikki in her head, muttering reassurances as she tried not to get mad. She could taste the veiled insult to her origins in Chloe's words, but it wasn't yet close enough for her to get _really_ mad; she had been targeting Marinette, after all. "I suggest you leave the classroom," she offered. "Surely your brain can figure out why that might be a good idea?"

But Chloe was on a roll today, and she wasn't about to stop. "Yes, I know _exactly_ why," She snapped. The class was so quiet she didn't even have to yell for it to carry across the room. "You just want me to stop watching you so you can slobber all over Adrien. Well, I won't let you, Dupain-Cheng. You're not fit to lick his shoes, though I'm sure you would if it got you enough money."

Marinette could feel heat in her eyes, the little warning that she was about to cry. She inhaled slowly, quietly, but in that moment Adrien spoke up.

"Chloe," he began, sounding terribly conflicted and hurt, "Marinette isn't like that at all." Marinette's heart stopped. "She's-"

He never got to finish his thought.

"Shush, Adri-chou," Chloe waved him off. "Let me deal with this gold-digger. I'll make her move so you aren't bothered by her any more."

"No, Chloe," Adrien reiterated, looking ready to stand up and stalk over to her. "Don't. You're being-"

" _Shush_!" She repeated, cutting him off again. "I know what's best for you, so be quiet and let me handle it."

"Let Adrien speak," Marinette finally found the confidence to say. _Now_ she was angry. Herself she could deal with; but Adrien? That was going way too far.

"Shut up," Chloe waggled her finger, and it alarmed Marinette just how much it infuriated her. She could feel how tightly she was holding her pen - she could feel the skin on her knuckles go taught and white from the pressure - and it took significant effort to unclench her teeth.

"Adrikins is _my_ boyfriend, not yours," Chloe began, "And you'll never have him on _my_ watch. Second-"

"I'm _not_ your-" Adrien began, face tightening in upset.

Chloe held out a palm. "Shut up, Adrikins," She said, waving him away again, and he crumpled.

Meanwhile, Marinette _roared._

 _One step too far, Chloe._ Her pen snapped, ink spilling over her hands as it broke and pieces jutting into her skin. Everyone turned, but for a moment, she was wordless.

The silence was deafening. Chloe looked triumphant, Adrien broken, and Marinette? She couldn't look at herself, but she could feel her face, and she'd never felt it so tightly controlled in her life. It took genuine effort not to bare her teeth and full-out hiss at her.

"Marinette," Alya said, but Marinette wasn't listening. Her head was a maelstrom of thoughts and feelings, most of which she found rather unappealing.

 _Hatred. Fury. Frustration. Sadness. Hurt. Anger._

 _I need to stay in control._

 _I need to defend Adrien._

Alya was talking louder now, and she heard several people get up. She watched as Chloe yelped and backed away as if she were diseased, but she couldn't figure out why until suddenly her vision was flooded by a vibrant purple.

" _Marinette Dupain-Cheng._

 _She has insulted you, insulted your family, insulted your beloved Adrien._

 _I can help you fight back against this ruthless bullying._

 _All I need is for you to get me Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous."_

Marinette opened her mouth.

"Marinette, _NO!_ " Alya reached out for her friend's shoulders, but Marinette held up a hand, pushing her back.

Marinette inhaled.

" _Marinette!"_ A familiar voice called, piercing through the fog in her head. " _Don't give in! Don't let him akumatize you!"_

" _No,_ " Marinette hissed into the air.

Dead silence flooded the room, but Marinette couldn't hear.

" _...no?"_ Hawkmoth's voice called back. There was something eerily familiar about it, right down to the chill-down-her-spine tone.

" _But Marinette, look at you. You can't stand up to her like this. But I can make you strong, I can help you be a voice for the love of your life. He would never have to suffer again, if you accepted."_

Marinette's hands tensed, embedding the pen deeper into her hand. She couldn't feel it. She couldn't feel anything.

" _No,"_ she repeated, though her voice felt hoarse, and was barely above a whisper. " _Adrien would never love someone who had to hide behind a mask to protect themselves. Alya would never forgive me if I hurt Ladybug or Chat Noir. I won't accept your offer._ "

" _...Maybe this will convince you to listen._ "

Marinette felt something akin to a tearing in her chest, consuming all rational thought. She heard someone screaming - _must help them -_ and stumbled forward, feeling her breaths come out in rasped gasps as she stumbled towards where she remembered the classroom's window to be. She couldn't see anything except a blinding purple.

The pain stopped, leaving her gasping, and from the feel of her throat it had been her screaming.

" _Will you obey me now?_ " Hawkmoth asked. " _Or would you like to suffer some more?_ "

Marinette couldn't breathe, couldn't speak.

" _Marinette, please, if you can hear me…"_ a voice she knew all too well, her constant companion, _Tikki_ , called… " _Please transform!_ "

She couldn't speak. _Spots on,_ she mouthed.

It was all she needed.

The purple faded, replaced by a storm of red and black.

" _I'll protect you, Marinette!_ "

She let go.

* * *

A/N: This wouldn't leave me alone. I have no idea if I'll finish it.

Enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2

" _MARINETTE NO!"_ Alya leaped out of her seat. Marinette stumbled forward again, and though nobody else had yet moved, she was inches away from the open window. A black-red light began to flow around her best friend, and she couldn't stay still.

Adrien jumped into action at the same time. Reflex had him racing towards her before he even began to speak. "Marinette-" he called urgently, but the moment he did, Marinette whirled around, the glowing mask of Hawkmoth blackened over her face, and leaped backwards.

They weren't on the ground floor.

Adrien leaned out over the window, throwing up an arm as a bright flash was thrown up below them. He looked down when it faded to see Marinette - but she wasn't wearing her usual cute ensemble any more.

She was covered from neck to toe in the sturdy black material he remembered from his own suit. In fact, it was _exactly_ like Chat Noir's suit, except for several notable differences; Instead of popping from her head, the ears curved around her pigtails, and her utility belt had been lined by rounded triangles of black steel, which clicked as she walked away from the school. At closer inspection, she seemed to have no baton, but instead a black yo-yo lined with red where it gripped the string. She was flicking it up and down as she walked away.

"I thought she'd attack us," Alya murmured, concern and guilt expressed in the same sentence. "What do we do?"

"I'm going to go find her," Adrien decided, even as Marinette suddenly leaped a superhuman leap and began running. "I'll be back!"

Chloe grabbed his arm, but he shucked her away. This was a job for Chat Noir, and he wasn't going to let her interrupt him.

* * *

" _Marinette,"_ a voice panted into the rapidly flickering darkness. " _Are you alright?!"_

She reached out, helplessly, her throat not moving the way she wanted. She couldn't speak. She couldn't breathe. Where _was_ she?!

" _Hold on, Marinette,"_ it repeated. " _You'll be in control just as soon as I figure this out!"_

" _No she won't,"_ another voice hissed into the darkness. " _She is strong. She WILL get the miraculous!"_

Marinette gasped into the darkness, and it choked her until she couldn't hold on any more.

* * *

Chat Noir leaped from building to building, listening for screams, shouts, even a report on the Ladyblog. It was unnerving that Marinette's Akumatized form had run away, and even more so that she had resisted. He spared a second to admire how strong his classmate was before returning to the task at hand.

Adrien leaped down into the street and waved to a nearby civilian. "Excuse me," he asked charmingly, "Did you happen to _cat_ ch sight of a black-clad girl like myself earlier?"

The man blinked. "You mean that wasn't you?" He said incredulously. At Adrien's nod, he pointed. "She went that way, I decided to go opposite in case you - she - were headed to an akuma."

"A wise decision," Adrien agreed, "thank you kindly!" With that, he leaped off again.

He finally found her near his own house, sitting on a rooftop across the road. She was holding a hand up to her forehead and looking around as if searching; in any other situation, it would have been adorable.

"Well, _Purrincess_ , fancy meeting you here," he called, already pulling his baton. For some reason Ladybug wasn't here yet, but he could handle himself. "Seems I have an admirer!"

Marinette turned around, and he was surprised to see she had no mask - it was just her face, and it was slightly disorientating to see her almost _herself_. "Minou!" she called, smiling brightly. _An akuma smiling at Chat Noir?_ "Yes, it's a lovely outfit, isn't it?" She twirled, showing off. "Not as great as yours, I suppose, but it's got a bit of _purr_ -sonal touch." she giggled.

Adrien blinked. _Marinette made a Cat Pun?!_ "It does," he agreed, when he realized she was waiting hopefully for his reaction. "It fits you, princess. What brings you here?"

She blushed quite thoroughly, her cheeks going red as tomatoes, but she didn't stutter for even a moment when she said, "I'm looking for my Prince!"

"Oh?" he leaned forward. "Who's this Prince of yours?"

"Adrien Agreste, of course!" She grinned.

Adrien froze. _ME?_

"Have you seen him?" she inquired hopefully. "Chloe was so _mean_ to him today, and I _must_ ensure he's unhurt," she insisted. The determination on her face was adorable, the earnest expression hitting close to home. "I _have_ to know he's alright, and if he isn't, I _must_ help him. After all, I need to make up for failing to defend him in class today."

"Why would you defend him?" Adrien blurted before he caught up with his mouth. He couldn't even think of any cat puns, he was so shocked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Marinette - _she's akumatized_ , Adrien reminded himself in a hopeless effort to regain his composure - replied innocently. "Why wouldn't I defend my prince? He is kind and sweet despite his own pains! He deserves the world!"

Adrien didn't know what to do. Marinette seemed utterly determined to defend _him_ \- not even Chat Noir, but _Adrien._ And, up until this point, she had been completely non-malicious, even though he was _Chat Noir_.

Adrien concluded that he was hopelessly confused, and tried another tactic.

"I agree," he began, feeling _extremely_ weird as he talked about himself and agreed with an akuma. "He is quite the _cat_ ch. Are you off to win his affections?"

Marinette shook her head. "Oh, no, I could never do that to my Prince. It would be rude!" She paused. "Though I do wish he would notice me sometimes. Oh well!" She smiled brightly again, seeming to shake away her sadness like a bad dream. "Maybe another day. And I'm confident now, just like you! Maybe he likes puns?"

 _What universe am I in right now?_ Adrien thought frantically. _Should I be flattered? Horrified? Give her tips on wooing me? Attack?_

 _Aaaagh. I wish Ladybug was here._

"I'm sure he would, _Purr_ incess," he agreed. " _Purr_ haps someday I shall win my Lady as well!"

Marinette frowned in confusion. "But, Minou," she frowned even more, her face twitching as if trying to melt into a different expression, "she already… loves you." She looked even more confused, but shook it off as easily as a dog shaking off water after a bath. "Nevermind. Sorry, Minou, but I _must_ find Adrien! I'm going to go to him right this second!"

Her hand flew forward to release her yoyo, and before Chat Noir could follow she was swinging away.

"What do I do, Plagg?" Adrien asked under his breath as he halfheartedly chased her. "She doesn't seem aggressive at all."

" _Go after her as Adrien, I can transform you if it gets dangerous,"_ Plagg finally replied. " _I'd go back to the school if I were you, that might be where she looks, since she hasn't checked it yet._ "

"Good idea," Adrien decided, and reluctantly he turned back towards school.

* * *

" _Purrincess,_ " a voice called from outside the void.

It was black, but it shone in the darkness, like it reflected the light and scattered it. She felt herself drawn towards it, towards the noise, and when she could hear it she could hear nothing else.

" _Marinette, keep going! You're almost there!_ " The friendly voice encouraged, though she sounded so terribly strained. " _I believe in you!_ "

" _NO!"_ Yelled the voice that hurt, pain lashing along her skin. " _Do not go there, Marinette. He will bring you only a broken heart."_

 _He?_ Marinette thought into the darkness.

" _Go, Marinette! Please go to him!"_ the sweet voice cried, before she whimpered and subsided in pain. " _He can help you!"_

" _It fits you, princess,"_ whispered the voice from outside.

 _Hope. Escape._

Marinette couldn't feel her limbs, but she began running towards the only thing in her brain which wasn't an unfocused mess.

* * *

"Adrien! Dude! Where were you?!" Nino cried, grabbing his friend and pulling him in for a brief hug. He released him a few moments later. "Did you get hurt?"

"Nah," Adrien rubbed his neck nervously. "Marinette's quick! I lost her a few blocks away, so I decided to walk back."

Nino sighed in relief, and Adrien felt vaguely guilty when he replied, "thank goodness, man. You run off so often that sometimes I worry, you know."

"Sorry," he began, but that was cut away by Chloe's scream and the sound of a cat's hiss.

Adrien turned around to see that, across the front yard of the school, Marinette had managed to catch up with him. She was hissing quite loudly at Chloe, who seemed content to scream back.

Adrien began walking over, and the moment Marinette caught sight of him, she lit up like a Christmas tree, her hissing giving way to a rumbling purr and a bright smile plastered over her face. "My Prince!" She called, and in a heartbeat she'd bounded over to his side, completely forgetting Chloe. "It's a relief to see you unhurt! How are you _feline?_ " She grinned the moment the pun left her mouth.

Adrien reacted on instinct. " _Paw_ -sitively _Purr-_ fect." He could practically _hear_ Nino gaping in the background.

Marinette's smile, impossibly, grew further, until-

"You mangy _cat!_ " Chloe screeched.

Her smile vanished, replaced by a determined gaze, and in a heartbeat she'd swung around to face Chloe, one arm out to defend _him_. "You irritating _pest_!" Marinette returned, her voice low and dangerous.

"How _dare_ you!" Chloe barreled on.

"How dare _you!_ " Marinette replied.

Adrien blinked. Was she-

Chloe fumed. "Don't you dare lay a _finger_ on my Adrikins!"

"Don't you dare lay a finger on _my Prince!"_ Marinette cried, a smug smirk crawling up her face.

Chloe screamed wordlessly in frustration, and Marinette purred. Finally deciding that Chloe wouldn't bother them again, she turned to Adrien and grasped his hand in her left, laying a feather-light kiss on it.

"I do apologize for not being here earlier, my Prince," she smiled winningly. "I was a bit _Purr-_ occupied."

Adrien had _no idea what to do._

" _You're blushing, kid,"_ Plagg said unhelpfully.

"I-I-I don't mi-ind," he stuttered, speechless. She dropped his hand gently, pulling herself back up. "It's, ah, alright. Really."

She looked terribly relieved. After a beat, he gathered his bravery and asked a question that had been burning at him from the moment she'd talked to him as Chat.

"Why aren't you going after the miraculous?" he inquired.

 _Marinette won't hurt me,_ he reassured himself. _Even though she's akumatized._

"Would you like me to get them, my prince?" she asked, and her ears swiveled forward as if to listen for his response. "I could! I could give Ladybug a run for her money!" She declared, holding up her yoyo.

"No, no, please don't," he requested quickly. "I was just curious, since Hawkmoth seems to want them…"

"Hawkmoth?" Her face twisted, and for a moment the purple butterfly appeared over her face again. She frowned deeper, and a moment later, the glowing sign of his influence turned red, then faded. "No. No. I don't obey anyone but myself!"

Marinette took a step back. "I do what I want to do," she murmured, "I say what I want to say! And I don't want to take the miraculous!" She curled her arms in around her. "Where would Chat Noir be without his? Or Ladybug without hers? Paris needs them!"

She was shaking. Frantic.

 _What on earth do I DO?_ Adrien thought frantically. _Plagg, please help me out here!_

" _I don't know!_ " Plagg sounded rather panicked himself. " _Uh, uhhh, reassure her! That should work! Tell her you're, uh, proud or something!_ "

Adrien gulped and laid a hand very carefully on Marinette's armoured shoulder. "It's alright, Marinette," he began. "I'm proud that you want to keep the miraculous safe."

She smiled faintly at him, and somewhere in there he noticed the spark of her old self. "...Thanks, Adrien," she murmured, before leaping back and racing away, reaching the rooftops before he could begin to react.


	3. Chapter 3

" _Marinette."_

 _He called me Marinette._

She was whirling. There was a boy with blond hair and eyes like the most verdant of forests, a perfect balance to the bright reds and whirling blacks around her, deep in her own mind. Who was he? Where was he? Why couldn't she talk back, save for a token two words which had ripped her throat apart?

" _Almost…. There!"_ The friendly voice chirped, and something snapped. Her connection to Hawkmoth gone, Marinette felt herself collapse in her mindscape, the small scrap of the outside world drifting away from her.

The noise screaming in her mind stopped in an instant. The pain dulled to a throb which pulsed with her heart, but subsided with each beat, and when she tried she could breathe again.

"Help," she whispered.

* * *

Adrien ran.

Down side streets, up inclines, around buildings old and new, one eye trained on the sky. Plagg was still tired from the first transformation, hidden in his ring, but he _had_ to keep track of her. It was worrying that Ladybug hadn't yet shown up, but he had no choice. He followed her away, barely looking ahead save to dodge cars and curious passerby, as she headed somewhere familiar.

 _The Dupain-Cheng Bakery._

He twisted his course and soon flung himself inside. "Sorry, Akuma, gotta go Marinette's room sorry sorry!" He cried hastily to her parents. Tom Dupain-Cheng blinked, and Sabine Dupain-Cheng turned so quickly to follow his path that she nearly dropped the macarons in her hands, but he was already bounding up the stairs and leaping towards the hatch leading into Marinette's room.

He crawled inside, immediately turning for the stairs climbing up towards her balcony. He scrambled up and stood on Marinette's bed to push it open, pulling himself up and out to wait.

Soon enough, Marinette appeared, leaping gracefully over the rooftops. Her eyes widened upon seeing him, and she vaulted over to land gently on the balcony next to him.

"Hello, my prince!" she chirped, seemingly unbothered by his presence. "What are you doing here? Where's Chat Noir?"

Adrien tilted his head. "I don't know, does he live here?"

"I… I don't know," Marinette paused, her eyes losing a bit of their intense focus, as she seemed to drift far away for a moment. "Why am I here…?"

After a beat, she shook it off. "Oh well. My _Minou_ will be here tomorrow, I hope. How are you, my Prince? Did anyone bother you when I was away?" She circled him slowly, eyes flicking along his form as if checking for injuries. "Rest assured I will _pun_ -ish anyone who dares to hurt you, my prince. All you need's to say the word."

Adrien thought quickly. "There… _is_ a way you can help me," he suggested gently, smiling as her acquired ears perked up just as his sometimes did as Chat Noir. He took a moment to search her for anything that might possess an akuma. For some reason, Ladybug hadn't showed up, but once he broke the akuma's hiding spot, he would be able to follow after the akuma until she found him. And even if it managed to get back and multiply, he didn't feel too bad about a pile of protective Marinettes.

 _There_!

Standing out from her black, red-lined outfit, her ladybug earrings were still hooked in, completely unchanged. After a brief glance, he decided it must be the hiding spot; it couldn't be in her yoyo, nor in either of her ribbons - both of them had changed to a silky black which blended into her hair.

"May I borrow those earrings?" he asked as kindly as he could, lifting a hand to hold out. Marinette stopped and stared at him, one hand going to her earring, then flinching back.

"...my prince, you ask a great deal of me," she whispered. Adrien winced. _Not good._ "These are not mine to give. If… if I ever take them off… I would never be able to defend you again!" She dropped to the floor and tucked in her knees.

Adrien slipped down next to her. "Are you alright, Marinette?" he asked softly.

She sniffled and shook her head. "I don't want to choose," she admitted. "These earrings mean a lot to me. I can finally _talk_ to you," she added, briefly awed by the prospect. "I- I can defend you! And we can hold conversations! And I don't have to worry at all!"

"Why not?" Adrien asked, confused.

"I never feel afraid like this," she answered, shooting him a grin. "No fears. No worries. I'm as carefree as a cat, doing whatever I want to do!" She chuckled, a cheery sound which fluttered through the wind. "I don't have to worry about what I'm doing, because I know what I'm doing is right. I know that you'll watch my back and make sure I don't do wrong." Her feet wiggled in her metal boots. "I can spend time with Lady Alya and do homework and have fun doing it, never worrying I won't have time. I can dance and sing and make witty remarks without a moment of doubt! I can fight when needed, never scared of the consequences. Why would I ever give that up?"

Adrien dug for reasons. He needed to answer her. "Your shyness is a part of your charm," he insisted. "It's part of what Alya and I love about you, Marinette. And if you never worry, you could get hurt. I don't want you to get hurt."

Marinette turned to him, eyes shining. "Do you think so?" She asked, and for the first time since she'd been akumatized a crease of genuine concern leaked into her face. "Does Alya truly like that about me? Do… do _you_ really like that about me?"

"Yes," he answered immediately, and she smiled, cupping her cheek with one claw and smiling giddily. "You're a wonderful person, Marinette."

She swiped playfully at him, turning away to hide her face, which had flushed scarlet.

"It's sweet that you want to defend me," he began to add, trying not to offend her. As he was now, he was quite vulnerable - all she'd have to do is snatch up his hand, and he'd be screwed. "But Marinette, what if I want to defend myself?"

"But- but-" she stammered. This seemed a bit more like the Marinette he remembered, so he forged on.

"I know I don't always do so great, especially against Chloe," Adrien admitted. "But I want to do this for myself, Marinette. So… please? You don't need to defend me, and I miss the girl beneath the armour," he poked at the plates pinned to her belt. "So I'd like your earrings, just for a moment, I swear!"

She gazed at him, blinking slowly. "I don't want to worry again." she murmured, barely audible over her soft breaths.

"I won't let you worry," he promised. "I know you can do this, Marinette. We'll do this together. Please?"

* * *

" _You can do this, Marinette."_

She was so close. The spinning colours seemed miles away, when she was basking in the gaze of kind green eyes.

" _You can do this, Marinette!"_ cried the friendly voice, breath recovered and sounding overjoyed. " _I believe in you! Listen to him!"_

She listened for him again. " _May I please have the earrings, Marinette?_ "

Her hands didn't move, at first. She couldn't. Something in her screamed the moment she tried, hissed and spat and refused to move. It felt wrong, moving to take them off. _But why_?

There was something important, so important, that she was forgetting. But what? What was she forgetting, what was making her very heart recoil like a spring?

" _Marinette?!"_

The voice.

It clicked.

 _Don't leave me,_ she thought to herself.

" _Don't leave me,"_ she whispered to the world, and it narrowed down, held her close.

" _I won't!"_ the voice cried. " _I swear, I WILL come back to you, Marinette! But only you can make me detransform!"_

De-transform?

 _Adrien,_ she thought, a brief spurt of terror launching through her at revealing herself to him.

 _Revealing myself?_

" _It's okay! He won't know!"_ the voice reassured her. " _Please, Marinette? Just this once?"_

Marinette's hands found her ears.

She reached for both clasps.

There was a click, and the world was flooded with light.

* * *

The moment Marinette's earrings fell away from her ears, the transformation melted away into the ground and the Akuma fluttered off to escape. Adrien moved to catch it, but quick as a whip, something red flicked past, and it was gone.

 _What was that?_ He fretted. _Was that... Ladybug? Or something else?_

Marinette made a small, worried noise.

Trying not to worry, he turned to Marinette. She was still curled up next to him, but now her teeth were worrying her lip in a familiar action.

He gently rested a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Marinette," he murmured. "How do you feel?"

"Aah," she voiced, sounding rather close to panic.

"Take your time," he added belatedly, slowly moving to rub circles into her back. "Deep breaths."

"Right! Right. Deep breaths," Marinette repeated. "In, out, in, out…"

"Slowly," Adrien reminded her. She listened, and soon she was breathing somewhat normally again.

"Sorry," she murmured at least, turning away. "I- I- I was just so _angry_!" she whispered, sounding horrified at herself.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," he reassured her when he noticed her breathing pick up again. "Chloe isn't the nicest girl, and what she said today was miles over the line. You deserve to be angry."

"Yes, but, but… I shouldn't have given in like that." Despite her defensive pose, he managed to wrap an arm around her and pull her close.

"Marinette, I've never seen _anyone_ fight an akuma like that, and be so sweet even after they were transformed," Adrien said honestly. "You're amazing and strong, and I couldn't imagine a soul who wouldn't be proud of you for how you resisted."

Marinette said nothing, but sniffled a few times, trying to restore herself. "You're too sweet," she accused.

"Not really," he replied bashfully. "There are plenty out there sweeter than me."

"Like who?" Marinette sniffled again.

"You," he admitted freely, deeply enjoying her bright smile and cherry-red face as she gasped in surprise. "After all, you _dough_ live in a bakery."

Marinette groaned and Adrien laughed.

After a beat, Marinette held out her hand, and Adrien returned her earrings, now cleaned - somehow - from the akuma. She took them hastily and tucked them back into her ears, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Adrien," she said, managing to look flustered and sad at the same time. "...did you mean it? About helping me?"

"Of course." he said, not missing a beat.

"I don't deserve you, you… dork," she accused, but huddled closer.

Adrien pulled her in and counted that as a win.

* * *

 _A/N:_

 _Thanks for reading this little plot bunny, I had fun writing it! I've been in a creative ditch lately but MLB managed to drag me out of it again, and I've fallen back in love with the story and characters of this show (though I've yet to have a chance to see season 2)._ _While at the moment I don't have any plans to continue this story further, if I get an idea and there's enough interest I'll see about writing a sequel. In the meantime, you're free to write extensions to this story or suggest how things might go after this event! Until next time!_


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